Yuan Revaluation Will Not Deliver All Its Supporters Hopeby Trineesh BiswasGiven the economic circumstances worldwide, it is hardly surprising that the exchange rate of China’s currency has been the subject of a renewed wave of international attention. But even a considerable revaluation of the yuan is unlikely to right global trade imbalances.

No Sparks in NAMA NegotiationsThe reports prepared for the end of March stock-taking by the chairs of the main negotiating groups paint a bleak picture. On the three central pillars of the Doha Round – agriculture, industrial market access and services – delegates have spent countless hours on technical work, while the issues that really divide the membership have only been addressed in informal consultations that have yielded no tangible results.

Agriculture UpdateThe negotiating group on agriculture wrapped up a lacklustre year in early July with little evidence of progress.

Members Differ on Approach to Fisheries SubsidiesIn early May, WTO delegates gave a mixed welcome to proposed exemptions for developing countries from new disciplines on subsidies that contribute to an over-sized fishing effort and an alarming decline in fish stocks around the world.

TRIPS Council Hears Concerns over IPR Enforcement TrendsIn June, the Council for Trade-related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights addressed a number of contentious issues, including access to medicines and the enforcement of intellectual property rights, as well as a proposal to prohibit patents on biological resources.

EU Challenged on Generics SeizuresAfter months of speculation, Brazil and India have launched a WTO dispute against the EU and the Netherlands over the seizure of generic drugs in transit.

Last-minute Deal Provides a Breather in Cotton SagaJust two days before trade sanctions were to be imposed in the cotton dispute, Brazil and the United States reached a compromise agreement, which may finally yield the subsidy reforms that Brasilia has been seeking from Washington for nearly a decade.

Disputes in BriefApparently eager to defuse trade tensions, the EU and the US on 8 September requested the suspension of a WTO arbitration that was to determine the level of retaliation the EU should be allowed impose on imports from the United States in compensation for inflated anti-dumping duties resulting from zeroing.

Potential Impacts of Reforms in the World Cotton Marketby Má rio JalesThe Doha Round could have a significant positive impact on world cotton prices, as well as production and exports in developing countries. However, the likelihood of such an outcome is highly dependent on the depth of the product-specific domestic support caps adopted by WTO members.

Fighting Counterfeits without Endangering Public Healthby Christa CepuchWhat is a counterfeit medicine? The answer depends on who responds. To an English-speaking lay-person, it generally means ‘fake’ or ‘a pill made of chalk’. To the World Trade Organisation, it means a ‘trademark infringement’.

Intellectual Property and Public Health in the EU-CAN FTAThe relationship between the protection of public health and intellectual property rights (IPRs) was among the most delicate topics in the free trade negotiations recently concluded between the EU, Colombia and Peru. This article analyses the outcome from the public health angle.

EU Strengthens Trade Ties with Latin AmericaThe EU has concluded a free trade agreement with six Central American countries, with both sides expressing satisfaction over an ‘ambitious, comprehensive and balanced outcome’. In contrast, the revival of talks with agricultural powerhouse Mercosur, has angered many EU politicians.

Pressure Grows for US to Act on FTASPresident Obama is increasingly under pressure to act on the unratified free trade agreements the Bush administration negotiated with South Korea, Panama and Colombia.

China Relaxes Innovation StandardAfter months of outcry from technology exporters, the Chinese government is proposing to scale down the most draconian IP requirements for ‘indigenous innovation’ products.

China’s Indigenous Innovation and Government Procurementby Jingxia ShiChina has promoted indigenous innovation through an array of plans and measures in recent years. However, the moves, and particularly the newly launched national indigenous product accreditation system, have caused widespread concern about trade protectionism among foreign firms.

Is Hunger in the World on the Rise?by Peter Svedberg In its latest report on food insecurity, the FAO asserted that 915 million people were undernourished in 2008, and the figure is estimated to rise to 1.02 billion in 2009. The alarming numbers raise the twin questions of how the estimates are derived and how reliable they are.

Price Volatility Rattles FarmersEven when the price of rice doubled and trebled in international markets, growers in the Philippines barely felt the tidal wave of money sweeping into the commodity.

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